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Read. Follow. Verify.South Dakota Prohibits Financial Institution Discrimination Based on Religion and Speech
Last action · February 20, 2026: Deferred to the 41st legislative daySponsors: Amber Hulse and 8 others
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What This Bill Proposed
South Dakota House Bill 1224 prohibits large financial institutions from discriminating against customers in providing banking, credit, and payment services based on their exercise of religion, protected speech, or lawful economic activity. Affected individuals may request a written explanation for account restrictions and can sue for actual damages or $10,000 per violation, whichever is greater.
Provides customers of major payment networks and banks processing over $100 billion annually with legal recourse and the right to demand explicit justifications if financial services are restricted or denied.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Financial institutions processing over one hundred billion dollars
Must comply with new anti-discrimination requirements for financial services and provide detailed written justifications for adverse account actions.
South Dakota residents
Gain the right to request specific explanations for service restrictions and to sue for statutory or actual damages if discriminated against based on speech or religion.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which financial institutions are covered under this bill?
What legal remedies are available if a financial institution violates these rules?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
3 actions- Feb 20, 2026HouseDeferred to the 41st legislative day
- Feb 20, 2026HouseScheduled for hearing
- Jan 29, 2026HouseIntroducedFirst read in House and referred to
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Creation of Civil Remedies for Financial Discrimination
The bill links discriminatory financial service restrictions directly to state deceptive trade practices and allows private rights of action with statutory minimum damages.
Connected Entities
Sources
sdlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy80Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz45Current news / social attention level
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